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THEATRE, MUSIC, DANCE, AND MORE. There's something for everyone, right here in the heart of Princeton.

SEPTEMBER 13 – OCTOBER 7

Bulrusher

In 1955, in the redwood country north of San Francisco, a multiracial girl grows up in a predominantly white town whose residents pepper their speech with the historical dialect of Boontling. Found floating in a basket on the river as an infant, Bulrusher is an orphan with a gift for clairvoyance that makes her feel like a stranger even amongst the strange.

NEW DATE! WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2024 / 7:30PM

POSTPONED UNTIL NEXT YEAR– Yunchan Lim

McCarter Debut Artist and 2022 Cliburn Gold Medalist International Piano Competition winner, Yunchan Lim, a precocious teen with prodigious talent marries technical brilliance with youthful emotion in this classical piano performance.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 / 8:00PM

Patti Smith: Words and Music

The multi-hyphenate shares spoken-word stories from her life interspersed with songs.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 / 8:00PM

Once the Dust Settles Flowers Bloom by Olivier Tarpaga

In partnership with the Department of Music at Princeton University and Seuls en Scène, Princeton French Theater Festival

Olivier Tarpaga’s “feminist Africanist” work gives voice and body to the refugees of the Sahel region, channeling their strength and beauty.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 / 8:00PM

Fatoumata Diawara

Presented in Association with Timbuktu Grooves: The Princeton African Music Festival

Award-winning Malian singer-songwriter Fatoumata Diawara wrings a soulful blend of desert blues and Wassoulou folk music out of her electric guitar.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4 / 7:00PM

Disney Pixar's Coco in Concert

Projected on a big screen and accompanied by the 20-member Orquesta Folclórica Nacional de México, experience the Oscar®-winning Disney Pixar classic like never before.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5 / 7:30PM

Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, Shahzad Ismaily: Love in Exile

A trio formed around an improvisational jazz icon, a polymath multi-instrumentalist, and a Grammy-winning vocalist with an ethereal voice performs their new work.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6 / 8:00PM

An Evening with David Sedaris

The writer, humorist, and master of satire returns to McCarter for an evening of readings and recollections, Q&A, and book signing.

OCTOBER 13 – OCTOBER 29

The Woman in Black

A dark and scary mystery unfolds in this masterful theatrical event. The story comes to life as an old man recounts the events of his youth when he went to the fog-embanked countryside of England to settle the estate of a family shrouded in a tragedy that continues to haunt (literally!) anyone who comes too close.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14 / 8:00PM

Madison McFerrin

The latest generation of a storied musical legacy brings dulcet tones and impeccable vibes to McCarter.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23 / 7:30PM

Bach: Mass In B Minor

Dinis Sousa, Conductor

Monteverdi Choir

English Baroque Soloists

Held at Richardson Auditorium

A choir founded to honor the color of Italian music follows its performance at King Charles III’s coronation with a rendition of one of Bach’s final masterworks.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2 / 7:30PM

An Evening with Jhumpa Lahiri in conversation with Zahid Chaudhary

Presented in Collaboration with Labyrinth Books and the Princeton Public Library

The renowned bilingual writer, translator, and literary critic, who writes fiction as well as non-fiction both in English and Italian, discusses her new collection of short-stories, her life’s work, and the power of translation.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3 / 8:00PM

Pink Martini

Pink Martini presents a rollicking around-the-world musical adventure that brings people together with sultry sambas, silky Parisian ballads, and an all-around swingin’ good time.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10 - SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12

Triangle Show: Ship Happens, A Cruisical

Join us as Triangle sets sail for its 133rd year of original musical comedy with a tale as old as tide. Climb aboard the SS Giznee Fairytale, a cruise with all of the amenities - buffets, shuffleboard, and even magic? While other passengers enjoy their luxurious journey, twins Isla and Lindsay venture below decks, only to be swept away in a current of schemes and whimsy. Not since Ted has a cruise gone so wrong! Come find out more at the swashbuckling, high-kicking, shipshow that is Ship Happens: A Cruisical.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2023 / 6:00PM

Ancestral Communal Listening Experience

In this joyful and immersive gathering, Michael Mwenso, co-creator of The Sound of (Black) Music, along with co-director Shariffa Ali from Princeton’s Lewis Center for the Arts, will create a sense of community and connection by playing recordings of musical forebears who propelled the advancement of the human condition and prompting participants to voluntarily share what they feel and hear in the messages. For this special event, produced by Electric Root, we invite all to come together and recenter through the collective healing, love, and nutritional uplift that’s embedded in Black roots music.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16 / 7:30PM

Davóne Tines

An avant-garde bass-baritone singer that defies convention of what it means to be “classical.”

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17 / 8:00PM

The Sound of (Black) Music

An Afrofuturist take on a Rodgers & Hammerstein classic, with an electrifying group of more than 20 musicians and vocalists paying tribute to the rich, communal history of Black roots music.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18 / 8:00PM

Alan Cumming & Ari Shapiro: “Och & Oy: A Considered Cabaret”

Two famous storytellers perform their tongue-in-cheek two-man cabaret with a flair both bawdy and risqué.

NOVEMBER 24 - NOVEMBER 26

American Repertory Ballet's The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker holds a special place in the hearts of both new and longtime patrons, becoming synonymous with the holiday season. Its endearing story, Tchaikovsky’s brilliant score, and iconic choreography create a memorable experience for the whole family. Whether it will be your first time seeing American Repertory Ballet's The Nutcracker, or you have been enjoying it for years...the magic awaits.

DECEMBER 6 - DECEMBER 24

A Christmas Carol

McCarter's annual holiday tradition returns with more magic, more music, and more merriment for all. Create magical memories with the ones you love as this festive spectacle ushers you into the spirit of the season with all the delight, wonder, and generosity that Scrooge himself discovers.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14 / 7:30PM

The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged)

Reduced Shakespeare Company

An irreverent and hilarious holiday comedy revue that turns your Christmas traditions on their head.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16 / 7:00PM

Choir! Choir! Choir! - Holiday Show

A rousing holiday choral experience that promises to draw the audience into the performance.

SATURDAY, JAUNARY 20 / 11:00AM & 3:00PM

The Laurie Berkner Band - The Greatest Hits Concert

The “kindie rock” pioneer brings her band to perform family-friendly songs brimming with child-like wonder that parents won’t mind hearing on repeat.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 25 / 7:30PM

Blue Note Records 85th Anniversary Celebration Starring The Blue Note Quintet

Led by 6 time Grammy Award nominee, Gerald Clayton, The Blue Note Quintet honors the iconic label’s rich history and showcases its current roster of eclectic musicians.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 26 / 8:00PM

Kaki King: Modern Yesterdays

A virtuoso known for pushing the limits of the guitar, Kaki King presents a new guitar-driven, technicolor projection mapping show, in tandem with a cutting edge approach to storytelling and musical performance.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 27 / 8:00PM

Mark Morris Dance Group

The country’s preeminent modern dance company brings an exciting program of recent works and audience favorites to the McCarter Theater.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2 / 8:00PM

CelloGayageum: Lunar New Year Celebration

Formed in 2016, Austrian cellist Sol Daniel Kim and Korean gayageum player Dayoung Yoon created a musical phenomenon bridging cultural divides through the universal language of music.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8 / 7:30PM

Ayodele Casel: Chasing Magic

The latest work from one of the world’s great tap dance talents, a celebratory display of artistic encounters and how to reconnect with them.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9 / 8:00PM

American Patchwork Quartet

Featuring Falu Shah (vocal), Clay Ross (vocal/guitar), Clarence Penn (drums) and Yasushi Nakamura (bass)

A decorated quartet of American acclaimed musicians from different backgrounds recontextualizes the folk canon.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11 / 1:00PM

National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine

A storied symphony returns to McCarter to perform a rich program showcasing some of Ukraine’s most talented and renowned musicians.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16 / 8:00PM

The Legendary Ingramettes – The “First Family of Gospel”

Honoring the of history of matriarch Maggie Ingram’s musical and social legacy, 2023 NEA Heritage Fellows Award winners The Legendary Ingramettes are renown as Richmond, Virginia’s “First Family of Gospel”.

MARCH 6 – MARCH 24

Dreamgirls

With dazzling costumes and powerhouse vocal performances, this smash hit sizzles with sparkling spirit and dance to electrify audiences.

SATURDAY, MARCH 16 / 8:00PM

Jeremy Dutcher: The MOTEWOLONUWOK ᒣᑏᐧᐁᓓᓄᐧᐁᒃ TOUR

A Two-Spirit song carrier, composer, and activist, Jeremy Dutcher invites audiences to be transformed by music that pushes the boundaries of his unique sonic landscape.

SUNDAY, MARCH 17 / 11:00AM, 1:00PM & 3:30PM

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show

Dozens of characters from Eric Carle’s classic children’s stories—including the titular ravenous caterpillar—come to life on stage through the magic of puppetry.

THURSDAY, MARCH 28 / 7:30PM

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago

One of Chicago’s premier dance companies returns to McCarter with a multi-faceted program celebrating its 45th season.

FRIDAY, APRIL 12 / 8:00PM

Zakir Hussain (tabla) with Sabir Khan (sarangi) and Debopriya Chatterjee (bansuri)

A classical tabla virtuoso of the highest order performs with a Sufi-inspired sarangi master and one of the illustrious “Flute Sisters”.

SUNDAY, APRIL 14 / 7:00PM

Trailblazing Women of Country - A Tribute to Patsy, Loretta, and Dolly

An all-woman ensemble performs works from three titans of country music that forever shaped the genre’s voice, tone, and point of view.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17 / 7:30PM

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo: 50th Anniversary

The “World’s Foremost All-Male Comic Ballet Company” celebrates 50 years of leaps and laughs, in drag and en pointe.

MAY 8 – JUNE 2

Choice

In this comic, surreal and thought-provoking play, journalist Zipporah Zunder has landed the story of her life-- investigating a controversial social phenomenon that could reframe the way we think about the right to choose.

TUESDAY, MAY 28 / 7:30PM

Voice and the Violin

GRAMMY Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell and acclaimed soprano Larisa Martinez, alongside renowned pianist Peter Dugan, present "Voice and the Violin," an intimate evening of romantic arias and modern classics.

JUNE 7 - JUNE 8

STOMP

Eight dancers wield brooms, garbage cans, and even the kitchen sink to in an electric performance that has become a worldwide phenomenon.

PAST EVENTS

THURSDAY, AUGUST 24 / 7:00PM

McCarter Live at the Library: BULRUSHER

McCarter Theatre Center’s Associate Artistic Director  Nicole A. Watson (director of last season’s Blues for an Alabama Sky) kicks-off our enduring and exciting Live at the Library series with the Princeton Public Library, as well as McCarter’s 2023-2024 Season of performing arts programming in the community with this event for theatre-curious insight seekers.

JULY 22 - 23

Hasan Minhaj

The two-time Peabody Award-Winner follows-up his globetrotting blockbuster tour The King’s Jester with a special intimate engagement featuring the comedian as he showcases and prepares new material.